Bench saw table



Nov. 2, 1937. T. L. HEDGPETH 2,097,920

BENCH SAW TABLE original Filed May 27, 1935 4 sheets-snaai 1 207 21@ 21052 mm' j 21.5

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Nov. 2, 1937. T. 1 HEDGPETH 2,097,920

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BENCH SAW TABLE Original Filed May 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PatentedNov. 2, 1937 UNITED sra'rssy earner oFFicE.

BENCH SAW TABLE Theron L. Heolgpeth, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to DuroMetal Products Company, Chicago, ll., a

The present invention relates to bench saw tables, and is particularlyconcerned with motor driven bench saws of the type used in wood working.

This application is a division of my prior application, Serial No.23,541, filed May 27, 1935, Patent No. 2,075,282, dated March 30, 1937,relating to the rip saw fence.

One of the advantages of the invention is the provision of an improvedpower driven bench saw of the type having a circular saw having all ofthe necessary features of the more expensive devices, which, however,has been so simplified and rearranged that the device may be constructedat a very low cost and thus placed within the means of a vast number ofpurchasers who may desire saws of this type either for home Work or forcommercial wood working opera-tions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction including a tilting mechanism for the bench saw table, bymeans of which the table may be angularly adjusted to a fraction of adegree and held in place by means of the tilting mechanism without thenecessity for any additional securing or clamping devices.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ripfence and gauge construction for bench saws of the class described,which has been greatly simplified over the devices of the prior art inso far as holding devices and guides are concerned, but which is adaptedto guide the work in perfect alignment with the saw and may be quicklyand. conveniently moved from one place to another and held incorporation of Illinois 1937, Serial N0. 133,542

1 Claim.

place without any possibility of misalignment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings accompanying thisspecification:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bench saw con structed according to thepresent invention and including a table extension for the handling ofunusually wide work stock;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the table of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the plane of the line 3--3of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing thedetails of construction of the arrangement for raising and lowering thetable;

Fig. 4 is a vertical elevational view in partial section, taken on theplane of the line rl-il of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line5-5 of Fig. 4, sho-wing the details of construction of the arrangementfor causing the rip fence to bridge the miter gauge grooves; 5

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan View of the device for bridging themiter gauge grooves;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the tilting arrangementfor the table, taken on the plane of the line 'IL-'I of Fig. 3, lookingin 10 the direction of the. arrows;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line8-8 of Fig. 3, showing the further details of construction of the tableand the drive shaft for the saw; and l5 Fig. 9 is a fragmentarysectional view taken on the plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows, and illustrating the clamping arrangementfor holding the table at predetermined elevation. i 20 Referring toFigs. 1 to 3, I indicates in its entirety the complete bench saw, whichis preferably provided with a base II for supporting a table I2 and asaw blade I3 of the circular type. The table I2 consists of a planemetal 25 member which has itsY top machined to an accurately planesurface and which is preferably provided with a plurality of dependingflanges or reinforcing ribs I4, I5,v for the purpose of providing borderflanges and reinforcing the table.

The table I2 is also provided with a centrally located aperture I6,preferably substantially rectangular in plan, for the purpose ofaccommodating the saw blade I3. The slot i6 is of sufflcient size toaccommodate the largest saw blade sired to place the miter gauge in theslot at any point.

Of course, if the slots are dovetailed, the miter gauge has itssupporting bar of complementary section and must be inserted from theend. The

table I2 is also provided with a plurality of for- 5i)r wardly extendingreinforcing and supporting lugs I9, carried by the front border flangeI4, to provide sufficient material for securement of a guide bar 20.

The guide bar 2B, which preferably extends only 55" from one edge of thetable I2 to the opposite edge, and which is coextensive in length withthe width of the table, comprises a substantially rectangular bar ofmetal, such as steel, which may be provided with graduated indicia 2I atthe top, comprising scale divisions and numbers indicating units oflength, such as inches or centimeters. The scale preferably begins at apoint which is in the plane of the right hand edge or face of the sawblade I3; that is, the sca-le 2i would then indicate the Width of apiece of lumber after it had been ripped or sawed in accordance with thelocation of the rip fence 22, located by means of the indicia 2 I.

The guide bar 29 is provided with a suitable aperture 23 in alignmentwith a threaded bore in each Vof the lugs E9, and may be secured to thetable by screw bolts 2li extending through the bar and threaded into thelugs I9.

The outer surfaces of the lugs I9 which engage the bar 22 are accuratelymachined to a plane which is at right angles to the plane of the saw I3so that the guide bar 28 may accurately hold the rip fence 22 parallelto the plane of the saw blade I3. f

The table I2 is also preferably provided with a depending border flange25 at its right side for purposes of reinforcement and for use insecuring a table extension, which is indicated in its entirety by thenumeral The table extension 26 is intended to permit the use of thebench saw with its rip fence for ripping wider boards than could beaccommodated by the table I2. The extension table 25 may comprise a fiatmetal member formed with an upper plane machined surface 2l and with thedepending border ange 28, which may also be used for attaching theextension 2S to the table I2. For example,- in Fig. 6, it will be notedthat the ange 26 on table I2 is provided with a threaded aperture 29 forreceiving the threaded screw bolts 3i which extend through the apertures3i) in the flange 28 and secure the extension 26 to the table I2. Ofcourse, these apertures are so arranged that the upper plane surface ofthe extension 25 becomes a continuation of the upper plane surface ofthe table I2, being located in the same plane.

The extension 26 may also be provided with a plurality of longitudinallyextending grooves 32 which serve to reduce the weight of the extensionand save material without affecting the efficiency of the arrangement.The grooves 32 do not extend to the rear edge of the table extension 25,leaving the flat plane surface 33 at the rear edge for supporting therip fence 22 and permitting it to bridge the grooves 32 without anypossibility of obstruction.

Like the table I2, the table extension 26 is provided with a pluralityof forwardly extending lugs I9 having threaded bores and having flatmachined surfaces at their outer ends for supporting the extension guidebar 34. Y

'I'he extension guide bar 34 is provided' with indicia 35, which beginat the end of the indicia 2| of the guide bar 2G and continue upward inthe higher numbers of'units of length. The guide bar 34 is also providedwith similar apertures 23 for receiving screw bolts 24 which arethreaded into the bores of the lugs i9 to secure the extension bar 31%to the extension table 22. In order to assure the accurate alignment ofthe adjacent ends of the guide bars 29 and 34, where they abut at theedge of the table l2, these ends of the guide bars may be formed withcomplementary tongue and groove formations, indicated at 36.

In other embodiments of the invention the securing devices may bearranged with such accuracy that the guide bars 2l] and 34 areaccurately aligned, but if the tongue and groove or other aligningformations 3B are provided it is not necessary to so accurately alignthe holes on the securing bolts' 3i which secure the table extension 25to table I2.

The rip fence 22 preferably comprises a metal bar of steel or othersuitable material, which is accurately machined to be substantiallyrectangular in vertical cross section, and which is of sufficient lengthto extend longitudinally across the table I2 when afxed to the fencesupporting xture v3l which supports and guides the rip fence bar 22. Forthis purpose the rip fence is provided with a pair of verticallyextending apertures or bores E8 for receiving the screw bolts 39 whichpass through the rip fence and are threaded into the threaded boresprovided in the fixture 3l.

The fixture 3l comprises a cast metal member which is formed on itsupper side with a flat triangular flange 4d, a portion 4I of which,

underneath the rip fence 22, is accurately ma-` chined so as to hold therip fence 22 in accurate parallelism with the saw blade i3 and to holdthe lower face of the rip fence 22 at or just above the plane of thetable I2.

The flange 3Q is provided with an aperture 42 at one side above theguide bar indicia 2i, 3S, and the aperture 42 is of sufficient size soas to permit a view of a pointer 43 which is carried by s the lowersideV of ange fi. Pointer 43 may be secured by means of a rivet il@which passes through the pointer and the flange lid, and theu end of thepointer i3 is arranged in the substantially T-shaped aperture d2 in suchmanner that the point is directly above the indicia 2 i. Pointer d3 isso arranged that it indicates the distance between the left face of therip fence 22 and the right face of the saw blade or saw blade teeth sothat the indicia 2I will indicate the width of a board sawed with therip fence in the position indicated.

The supporting fixture 3l is provided with a partially rectangular guidemember i5 upon its rear side, which may consist of the flat verticalsurface 45, the upper fiat surface d?, and the flat rear surface 43,these surfaces being so arranged that they are substantiallycomplementary to a portion of the surface of the guide bar 2G.

The guide 45 is in vertical section and elevation substantially hookedshaped and partially rectangular so that it hooks over the bar 29, andis adapted to slidably engage the bar. The surfaces i6-d5 are ofsufficient length transversely of the rip fence so as to accurately holdthe rip fence at right angles to the bar 2E), engaging the bar as shownin section in Fig. 4. The xture may also be provided with a horizontallyextending threaded bore 15S which is in substantial align-` ment withthe guide bar 2Q so that the threaded clamping member 56, which has itsreduced cylindrical end 5i engaging the bar 2D, in Fig. 4, can bebrought into clamping engagement with the bar 20 to hold the rip fencein any predetermined position.

Threaded clamping member 5B is provided with a hand knob 52 of anysuitable shape. The xture 3l also extends downward below the guide bar2li and is provided with a diagonally upwardly extending bore 53 andcounterboreill;l

The bore 53 rotatably receives a cylindrical shaft 455, which carries atits outer end a hand knob 56 having a cylindrical hub 57 which isrotatably engaged in the counterbore 59. The counterbore 54 alsocontains a helical coil spring 58 which is preferably of sufficientstrength so as to maintain the parts of the mechanism in the position ofFig. 4 at all times; that is, the drive wheel 59 carried by the innerend of shaft 55 cannot be conveniently disengaged from the bar 2|! bypushing on the knob 56 because the spring 53 is so strong as to maintainthese parts in constant engagement.

The shaft is provided Vwith a reduced threaded portion E9, upon which ismounted a small drive wheel 6I, having a hub 62. The hub 62 and drivewheel 5| are arranged to support a frusto-conical rubber disc 63 whichis secured to the drive wheel 6I by means of rivets or pins 89, and therubber disc 69 provides a non-slipping engagement between the guide bar28 and drivewheel 5I. When the knob 56 is rotated, the drive wheel 6Iwith its rubber engaging surface 63 engages the bar 29 and causes thexture 3l and rip fence to progress from right to left, or vice versa.Right hand motion is accomplished by turning the knob 55counterclockwise, while left hand motion of the rip fence isaccomplished by turning the knob 5G in a clockwise direction.

The rip fence 22 may be made of sufficient width in some embodiments tobridge the miter gauge grooves I'I. I prefer, however, to make the ripfence 22 narrower in a horizontal plane and provide my rip fence with ameans for bridging the miter gauge slots I1 as follows:

Referring to Fig. 4, the rip fence is provided with a transverselyextending slot 55 located adjacent the rear -end of the rip fence or ata point spaced from the fixture 37.

The slot 65 may be substantially rectangular in vertical section and isadapted to slidably engage a substantially U-shaped stirrup 56, which tsin the slot and is provided with a pair of foot flanges 81. Thearrangement between the stirrup 68 and rip fence 22 with respect to thefixture 3T is such that the rip fence is held in substantially parallelposition with resp-ect to the top of the table I2 and may slide on thetable, being supported at its rear end by the foot flanges 8l.

The bridging stirrup 55 is longer than the thickness of the rip fence22, as shown in Fig. 1, where it projects at the left side, and byvirtue of its length it is adapted to bridge the miter gauge slots Il,i8 and support the rip fence 22 as it slides over one of these slots.

In order to secure the bridging stirrup 66 in place, I provide it with aslot 63 located in its yoke, and 1 provide the rip fence 22 with avertically extending threaded bore 69. A screw bolt i8 passes through ahelical compression spring '|I, through the washer I2 and through theslot 58, being threaded into the bore 69. The spring 'il thus engagesthe head of the bolt 'I0 and the yoke 88 of the stirrup 69 and draws thebridging stirrup S5 into the slot 55 at all times. The stirrup 98 may,however, be slid over to the right or the left side of the rip fence 22so as not to interfere with the functions of the rip fence or obstructin any way the work piece. The bridging stirrup 65 is adapted to causethe end of the rip vfence 22 to clear the miter gauge slots I'I, I8without any possibility of the rip fence being obstructed or sticking atsaid slots during its progress across the table I2.

- Referring to Fig. 8, the base I I preferably comprises a cast metalmember which is generally hollow and is formed with the four side walls13, 14, I5 and 16. The upper part of the base II is formed with a pairof integral cylindrical bosses TI, 18, each o-fwhich is provided with abore '|9, 89 and with a counterbore 8|, 82. The counterbores are adaptedto receive the antifriction bearings 83, 85, which may consist of anyball bearings having a pair of races, inner and outer, and the usualballs and ball retainers, but I prefer to use self-aligning ballbearings. The outer races of the ball bearings 83, 84 are preferably aclose frictional t in the counterbores 8|, 82, and these counte'rboresand races may be suitably tapered to fix the outer races firmly in thecounterbores.

The inner races of the ball bearings 83, 84 are Secured to a shaft 85,the outer end of which is provided with a drive pulley 86, preferably ofthe V type, which may be secured to the shaft by a set screw 8'!engaging in a key way 88, or by any other suitable securing means.

The opposite end of the shaft 85 is provided with a radially projectingflange 89 and a threaded end 98. The flange 89 has a longitudinallyprojecting annular flange 9| for engaging the saw blade I3, and theshaft is provided with a clamping member 92 which may consist of anapertured disc, preferably provided with an axially extending annularflange 93 for engaging the saw blade I3. The clamping member 92 may bethreaded onthe threaded end 9U and secured in place by means of the locknut 94, or the clamping member may be unthreaded and a pair of lock nutsutilized. The edges of the clamping flanges 84, 93 are accuratelymachined so that the blade I3 is held at exactly right angles to theaxis of the shaft 85.

The annular surface 95 behind the clamping flange B9 serves as a thrustbearing, and with the end of the hub of pulley 86 maintains the axialposition of the shaft 85 and saw blade I3 with respect to the saw bladeslot I5. At the lower part of the base I| adjacent the saw blade I3, theside wall I5 is provided with a horizontal offset 96 and with an annularseat 97 terminated by a shoulder l98, forming a partially cylindricalchamber Afor vthe reception of the saw blade I3. This chamber ispartially closed by a cast metal plate 99 of the shape shown in Fig. 4,which is provided with a pair of apertures for receiving the screw bolts|09 which passthrough the plate and are threaded into the seat flange 91to securethe plate 99 in place.

'Ifhe rear wall 'I4 is also preferably provided with an integral tubularextension IIJI, which in this case is substantially rectangular invertical section, and is provided with an inner conduit, which leads upinto the space bounded by the walls 15, plate 99, and offset 98 andextends tangentially with respect to the periphery of the saw blade I3and in the direction in which the saw dust lis thrown oif by the blade.The saw dust may thus be discharged out of the tubular conduit IUI tothe rear of the machine.

The table I2 is preferably supported for tilting movement with respectto the saw blade I3 so that cuts may be made at any angle to the surfaceof the wood which is held upon the table I2. For this purpose I preferto provide a pair of partially cylindrical trunnions IIJ2, |03, onelocated atg-the rear, and the other at the front of the table or thebase I I.

flange |05, |06.

Each of these trunnions may be identical in construction, and each oneconsists of a cast metal member having a partially cylindrical surface|05 bordered at each of its ends with a vertically extending reinforcingThe .reinforcing anges |05, |406 also project radially at |01,V |03, andare adapted to actas guides to maintain the associated bearing member inproper position. Each of the trunnions |02, |63 is provided with a pairof laterally projecting attaching fianges |59, I3, each flange having anaperture |I| for passing the screw bolts I2 which are threaded into vthethreaded bores ||3 located inthe bottom of the table I2. Suitablewashers and lock washers ||5 are used to assure the permanent securementof these parts.

` The partially cylindrical parts |04 of the trunnions |02, |63 areprovided with peripherally extending slots4 H5, through which extend thescrew bolts H1. Each of the screw bolts ||1 carries a slider H8,comprising a substantially rectangular metal member having an aperturefor the screw bolt I |1 and having a reduced rectangular portion H9 ofsuitable size to slide in the slot ||6. The screw bolts I1 pass throughthe complementary bearing members |25, |2|, into which they are threadedand secured by means of a lock nut |22.

The bearing members |20, |2| are preferably supported uponY theelevator, indicated in its entirety by the numeral |23. This elevatormay consist of a cast metal member having an upper transverse beam |24,reinforced by a horizontally extending flange |25. At each end the beam|25 is provided with a vertically extending socket for receiving theupper end of a rack |25, |21, one

side of each rack being provided with Igear teeth |28. The racks |26,|21 may comprise cylindrical shafts, each of which is secured by a drivet in a cylindrical bore |20 in the beam |25 and by means of a set screw|30 threaded into the beam and projecting into the bore |29 and engagingin aV socket in the shaft |26, |21.

The baseV is also preferablyV formed with a pair of integralenlargements |3|, |32, one located near the front wall 16, and the otherlocated adjacent the rear wall 1li. These enlargements |3|, |32 areprovided with vertically extending cylindrical bores |33, each of whichis adapted to slidably Vreceive the lower cylindrical part of the racks|25, |21. The bores |33 communicate with the transverse horizontal bores|35 which extend through the wallsrlt, 16 and are adapted to passtheelevator shaft |35. The elevator shaft '|35 is provided with a suitablecrank |36 at its outer end, and with a pair of combined thrust bearingsand pinions |31, |38. Each combined thrust bearing and pinion mayconsist of a substantially cylindrical metal member provided with anenlarged cylindrical portion |35 and an axial bore hl.

The enlarged cylindrical portion |35 has an annular thrust bearingsurface |3| `which engages outside of the respective walls 10, 16. Eachof the walls is provided with a machined thrust bearing surface |52. Theenlarged cylindrical part |39 is provided with a threaded bore forreceiving the set screw |53 which secures the pinion to the shaft |35.The combined pinion and thrust bearing is provided with a tubularextension |45, which is formed'with gear teeth |55 and which acts as apinion, engaging the teeth |28 on the racksv |26, |21. Y Y

As the combined thrust bearings and pinions |31, |38 extend into thebores |34 from opposite directions, they serve to x the shaft againstaxial movement as well as to provide the shaft with pinions foractuating the racks |26, |21. The elevator |23 may thus be moved upwardand downward by rotating the shaft |35 with crank |33, the racks |26,|21 sliding upward and downward in the guides |33.

The beam flange |25 is also provided with a vertically extendingthreaded bore |46 for receiving the stop screw bolt |41 which extendsupward through this flange and engages the lower surface of the tableI2. Stop screw |41 is secured in predetermined position by the lock nut|48, and is preferably located close to the center of rotation of thetable i2 on the trunnions |02, |03.

The base I| is also preferably formed with a suitably located lug |49formed with a cylindrical socket |50 for receiving and seating the lowerend of a helical coil Spring |5I. Coil spring |5| for the major portionof its length slidably engages on a stub shaft |52, which is flxedlymounted in the upper beam frange |25. Stub flange |52 has a reduced end|53 which is riveted over at its upper end to secure the shaft to theflange |25. Spring |5| is of sufficient strength to support the weightof the table and its associated parts, and tends to lift the table withrespect to the base I I, thereby greatly reducing the effort necessaryfor elevating the table by means of the crank |36. The table may besecured at any predetermined elevation. by means of a clamping memberwhich is actuated by the knob |54, the details of which are shown inFig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 9, the enlargement |3I is also provided with atransverse cylindrical bore |55 communicating with the bore |33 andadapted to receive the cylindrical clamping member |56. Bore |55communicates with a smaller bore |51 which is threaded to receive thethreaded end |58 of the'rodV |59 which carries the knob |54. The innerend of the cylindrical clamping member |35 preferably has a transversepartially cylindrical surface |50 which is complementary to the surfaceof the rack |21.

When the knob |55 is turned in a clockwise direction, the rod |59 isthreaded home in the bore |51, and the hub end |6| of the knob |53drives the clamping member |56 inward until this transverse cylindricalsurface engages and clamps the rack |21. Thus the rack |21 and all ofits associated parts may be secured at any predetermined elevation.

The table l2 may be tilted upon its trunnions |52, |53 to anypredetermined position by means of the actuating crank |62 (Fig. 2). Thedetails of construction of this actuating mechanism are shown in Fig. 1.The elevator |23 carries a depending integral flange |63 which supportsa pair of legs |35, |55. The legs |64, |65 are provided with alignedtransverse threaded bores for receiving the screw bolts |66, |61, whichmay be provided with conical tips for engagement in complementarysockets in a sleeve |68.

The sleeve |58 is adapted to rotatably support the screw shaft l 53,which is provided with a pair of vthrust bearing collars |10, |1I, eachof which has a set screw |12. The thrust bearing collars |15, |1| aresecured at each end of the sleeve |60 and serve to prevent anylongitudinal movement of the shaft |53 in the sleeve |63. The completeshaft |35 may, however, move pivotally with the sleeve |35 on the axisof the screw bolts |66, |61, as a slight amount of this movement isnecessary as the table is tilted.

The end of the shaft opposite the crank |62 is provided with an enlargedscrew thread |13 adapted to drive a follower IM, consisting of a sleevehaving a complementary threaded bore |15. 'I'he follower |14 ispivotally mounted upon a U-shaped bracket |16, the yoke 'l1 of which issecured to the lower side of the table l2 by the screw bolts |18, whichpass through the yoke and are threaded into the bottom of the table.

The two legs |18 of the U-shaped member llt` are provided with threadedbores |88, each of which has a threaded screw bolt |8| with a lock nut|82. The ends of the screw bolts |8| are made substantially conical andengage in complementary apertures |88, |83 formed in the sleeve orfollower |18. The screw |13, being an irreversible mechanism, noclamping or securing device is necessary to hold the table in anypredetermined position other than the assembly comprising the shaft |89and its associated parts. When the table is tilted by means of thismechanism, it is merely necessary to actuate the crank |82 until thetable reaches the angle desired. The table tilts on an axis which issubstantially at the surface of the table l2 by virtue of the fact thatthe curvature of the trunnions |82, |83 is made with respect to a pointlocated in the plane of the top of the table. The lower end of each ofthe bolts ||1 is threaded into an aperture |84 and secured with a locknut |85 so as to be xedly secured to the bearings |28 or I2 Thesebearings are formed with complementary partially cylindrical surfaces|88, but comprising a lesser portion of a periphery of the cylinder sothat they have a limited amount of rotative movement on the trunnions|82, |83.

The saw is preferably provided with a guard |81 and a splitter |88, asshown in Fig. 3. As the guard and splitter should always remain in thesame position with respect to the saw blade i3, they are xedly securedto the elevator which carries the saw blade shaft. The rear tablebearing |2| may be provided with an integral eX- tension |88, having aflat upper surface |88 and a plurality of depending reinforcing flanges|8| for providing a support for the splitter.

The extension |88 may be provided with a pair of threaded apertures forreceiving a pair of screw bolts l 82, each of which passes through anaperture in the foot flange |93 of the splitter |38. Splitter |88comprises an upwardly extending sheet metal strip of sufficient widthwith relation to the set of the teeth of the saw blade |3 so as toassure the maintenance of the sawed portions of lumber in spacedrelation to each other at the saw cut so that they will not pinch thesaw. In fact, the splitter may be made slightly wider than the set ofthe saw teeth so as to tend to spread the sawed portions and assist thefree rotation of the saw blade.

The splitter may support the guard |81 by means of a screw bolt |88,which passes through a pair of sheet metal arms |85, each of which hasan aperture for the screw bolt |88, and each of which is arranged on oneside of the splitter |88. A pair of nuts |88 lock the bolt |84 in place,and the arms |85 are adapted to move pivotally about the bolt 88. At theopposite end of the arms |85 l they support the safety guard |81, whichis materially thicker than the splitter |88. Therefore, the two arms |85are provided with a pair of offset portions |81. The ends of the arms|85 are provided with aligned apertures for receiving the screw bolt |88which passes through these arms and through aligned apertures |88 in thetwo side flanges 288 of the safety guard |81 and are secured by the locknuts 28|.

The safety guard |81 comprises a sheet metal member having a flat yoke282 at the top supporting a pair of side flanges 288 which depend fromthe yoke 282 at each side and are located on the opposite sides of thesaw blade I3. In order to permit the view of the saw in operation, theside flanges 288 may be formed with an upwardly extending slot 283 atthe center of each fiange, and in order that the guard may be liftedupwardly by the work piece of lumber, the forward edge 288 of each partof the flange is .formed with a curved surface which may act as a cam tobe cammed upward by the lumber in case the guard is not set at theproper position.

The miter gauge 285 is preferably supported upon a long steel bar 286which is complementary in shape to the miter gauge slots I1, I8. The bar288 also supports a pointer 281 which may consist of a sheet metalmember having an attaching flange with an aperture for receiving a screwbolt for securing the pointer to the bar 286. The pointer extends upwardfrom the bar at the pe riphery of the miter gauge 285 and parallel tothe bar at its end where it is formed with a point just above theindicia 288.

The miter gauge comprises a semi-circular disc of metal which is formedwith arcuate slot 288. The curvature of the slot and the curvature ofthe disc are formed with respect to a center which is preferablysubstantially in the plane of the upwardly extending machined surface2|8 of the guide ange 2||, which is carried substantially at thediameter of the disc.

Guide flange 2| is formed with an aperture for receiving a threadedscrew bolt 2|2 which is provided with a wing nut 2|3 engaging a clampingmember 2M. The clamping member 2M is formed with a pair of partiallycylindrical clamping parts 2|5, each of which engages a guide rod 2|6,2|1. The miter gauge 285 is secured Vto the bar 288` by means of a screwbolt 2|8, which is threaded into a threaded bore in the bar 286 andwhich is provided with a knurled knob 2|8. The forward trunnion |83 ispreferably provided with indicia and scale marks 228 for cooperatingwith a pointer 22| carried by the bearing |28.

Pointer 22| is provided with a slot 222 and may be secured to thebearing |28 by a clamping screw bolt 223, which is threaded into thebody of the bearing. |28. The elevator is also preferably provided witha laterally projecting lug 224 having a vertical bore for supporting apointer 225, which consists of a small rod with a laterally turned end.

The pointer 225 is clamped in the lug 224 by means of a threaded member226. The adjacent wall of the base is also preferably provided withindicia and scale marks 221, indicating the depth of cut of the saw intothe lumber above the table at any predetermined elevation.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, many modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of allchanges within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In a bench saw table, the combination of a bench saw table provided onits lower surface with a pair of substantially cylindrical sockets, witha pair of elevator shafts, one of said shafts being mounted in each ofsaid sockets and Vfixedly secured therein, said shafts having a seriesof slots cut in one side forming gear teeth, a metal base comprising acast metal member of substantially rectangular shape in plan, said basebeing provided with a pair of upwardly extending Walls provided withhorizontally extending bearing sockets, a saw blade rotatably mounted inbearshaft having a crank and being provided with combined thrustbearings and pinions, said combined thrust bearings and pinions beingoppositely situated and having their thrust-bearing portions engagingthe outer walls of said base, with the pinions projecting in saidtransverse bores and having their teeth in engagement with teeth of saidshaits, said base being provided with a socket, and said table beingprovided with a downwardly projecting pin and a compression coil springmounted in said socket about said pin for supporting a portion of theWeight of said table, whereby the table may be elevated or lowered bymeans of said crank` with respect to the saw blade.

THERON L. HEDGPETH.

